


The Macabre Masquerade

by Andian



Category: What We Do in the Shadows (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-25 09:34:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30087084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Andian/pseuds/Andian
Summary: A letter has arrived, inviting Nandor, Nadja and Laszlo to a masquerade ball and Guillermo helps Nandor prepare for the vampire event of the decade.
Relationships: Guillermo de la Cruz/Nandor the Relentless
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	The Macabre Masquerade

„…and then in 1746 I went as a cat again, this time a black one,“ Nandor continued. „Uh huh,” Guillermo answered, trying to focus on the hairbrush he was using to comb through Nandor’s hair. “And then in 1845 I also was a kitty cat but this time my mask had red cat ears and…”

“And have you decided what mask you will wear tomorrow, master?” Guillermo quickly interrupted Nandor. He had thought an overview of the several centuries worth of vampire masquerade balls Nandor had attended in his afterlife would be more interesting. At the very least he had hoped to get a bit more insight into things beside Nandor’s seeming obsession with wearing cat masks to them.

“Well, I did think of going as a cat, maybe a black one again like in ’46,” Nandor said, a frown appearing on his face. “But Nadja had … suggested otherwise.”

Guillermo avoided looking up from the hairbrush. That did explain the screaming and hissing he had heard coming from the fancy room earlier this evening. Seems he wasn’t the only one who had been forced to listen to Nandor’s love of wearing cat ear.

“So since we had this party for the superb owl, I was thinking that I will go as an owl for this one,” Nandor said, looking happy. “I do like owls,” he added.

“I am … aware,” Guillermo said. It wasn’t quite what he had expected when the invitation had arrived. Hand-delivered by a slightly dead looking man with even deader eyes, it had been a thick envelope with red ink, addressing its contents to Nandor, Nadja and Laszlo.

He had handed it over to Nandor and then he had stayed quiet as three excited vampires had swarmed around the letter.

“Madame M’s Macabre Masquerade!” Nadja had read the letter, excitement coloring her voice. “I thought they had stopped doing them after Madame M retired back in 1950.  
  
“Seems like her brother took over,” Nandor had said as he kept reading with a frown. “Though they did stick with the name, I suppose?”

“Marketing,” Laszlo had said. “Very important. Madame M’s Macabre Masquerades are an institution in the vampire world,” he had explained, turning towards the camera. “Been going on for centuries, always an absolute ball to attend. Literally.”  
  
“It is a night of mystique, mayhem and masks,” Nandor had continued, nodding gravely. “One time also a night of mariachi,” Nadja had added. She had made a grimace. “That didn’t go over that well with the public. We vampires can be very … traditional.”  
  
“Might have been why Madame M retired actually,” Laszlo had said with a frown. “You can’t keep losing your musical guests like that.”  
  
“Anyway,” Nandor had cut in, throwing the two a slightly annoyed look. “Madame M’s Macabre Masquerades are always very fun to attend. And I can’t wait to choose the perfect mask for it!”

Looking back, Guillermo thought now as he brushed Nandor’s hair, the look Laszlo and Nadja had thrown each other that moment should have been a warning.

“Though I also do like horses,” Nandor mumbled, more to himself than Guillermo. “Are there horse masks, Guillermo? Does your Eleven-Seven or your Amazonas have any of them?”  
  
“Uh,” Guillermo began, mind suddenly flooded with the image of Nandor wearing a horse head mask. “…no?”

Nandor could be very majestic and intimidating. Pretty much the first person Guillermo thought of whenever he came across the words tall, dark and mysterious. He was also really hot though Guillermo did try his best to avoid thinking about that whenever he was this close to Guillermo.

“No horse mask? Okay, then you will buy an owl mask for me, Guillermo.”

  
He also however was very likely to wear those cursed horse head masks if he ever saw one. Guillermo hadn’t quite given up on the whole vampire mystique stick just yet, almost eleven years of creepy paper or superb owl parties notwithstanding.

“I can do that,” Guillermo said. And maybe a few more chocolate-covered coffee beans for himself, he thought gloomily. To eat alone while he stayed in his little room, left behind in the house once more, trying his best to avoid being a light snack for Colin Robinson. While Nandor, Nadja, Laszlo and the camera team went to a Vampire Masquerade Ball.

He had several day dreams about attending something like this and maybe even half a few dozen pages of short … “stories” stuffed somewhere underneath his mattress. There though he had usually been on the guest list. And not just the guy buying the masks for the people going.

He couldn’t quite suppress the sigh escaping him at the thought.

“Guillermo, why are you making this weird noise?” came Nandor’s immediate complaint. “Do you not like the owl mask idea? Owls are both very cute and macabre creatures!”  
  
“No, no the owl mask is a great idea,” Guillermo quickly added. “I'm sure you will look good.” Like always, he thankfully only thought to himself. “And you’ll have fun at the ball, with the dancing and the masks and everything and it’s just…” and then he hesitated because this wasn’t his place, was it.

Vampire business, it rang through his head and what could be more vampire business than an entire vampire masquerade ball. So basically, it wasn’t for him, he thought bitterly. Like so many things in this world he so desperately wanted to be a part of.

“It’s nothing,” he then mumbled and as much as he tried, he couldn’t quite bite down on the bitterness in his voice. He quickly turned back to Nandor’s hair. Not like he could really brush it any more though, it felt and looked like black silk at this point.

He fully expected Nandor to just let the matter rest at this point. But there was suddenly a considering expression in Nandor’s eyes and he slowly stood up. “Obviously,” he said over his shoulder. “This is a ball for vampires. Not for humans or familiars.”  
  
Guillermo flinched, a cold feeling spreading in his chest at Nandor having realized what he had been thinking, dreaming, about.  
  
“However,” Nandor then continued, before opening one of his many ornate chests and rummaging around in it. “With masquerade balls, who can really tell who is underneath the mask.” He pulled something out of the chest, slowly turning it over in his hand.

“Having fun, dancing and all that stuff,” Nandor said and then he slowly put down a mask on a table. Guillermo stared at it. It was a gold-colored cat mask. Faint memories of Nandor telling him how he had worn something like it to his first masquerade danced through his mind.

“I really do like masquerade balls,” Nandor said and there was almost something wistful in his voice as he touched the mask.

“Anyway,” he then said, turning back to Guillermo. “You will go and get me an owl mask,” he ordered. “The most superb one you can find. And do it quick we will leave directly after sunset tomorrow. And shall only return right before dawn. Back to the house where I expect you will also be. And I’ll also be expecting you to be in the house between those times. Though I obviously also cannot really know where you will be. During those time.”

Subtlety, Guillermo had to admit, had never been quite Nandor’s forte.

“Because I obviously will not be expecting you to attend the masquerade ball with the mask I have-,” Nandor continued and Guillermo had to stop him before he started wiggling his eyebrows or worse yet, wink. Guillermo didn’t think his heart could take Nandor winking at him.

“I got it, master,” he quickly said. “I’ll get you the owl mask and tomorrow I will be … at home. And not anywhere … anywhere else.”

Nandor closed his mouth and nodded. “Good,” he said. “That is a good plan.”

Guillermo returned the nod and then made his way towards the door, already mentally going through a list of costume shops in the city that might sell owl masks.

Before he left Nandor’s crypt though, he stopped.

“Thank you, master,” he said, so soft that only a vampire could hear it. And as he closed the door behind him, he could have sworn that there was something resembling a smile on Nandor’s face.


End file.
